Small Business Winners Include WIZS

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Small businesses have borne the brunt of the economic impact brought about by the pandemic restrictions during the past year. But on Wednesday, four small businesses were recognized for their staying power in the communities in which they operate.

Thomas Ruhe, CEO of Durham-based NC Idea, spoke to Chamber of Commerce representatives and Chamber members during the Small Business of the Year awards luncheon, held at the Henderson Country Club. He congratulated the winners and commended them for stepping up during the pandemic to continue to serve their communities.

“I want to honor you for what you do,” he told the group gathered for the occasion. “You are, in a sense, first responders…economically you are on the front lines looking for signs of life” during what has been a challenging year dealing with COVID-19 lockdowns and closings.

“You are the ones figuring it out – you didn’t have the luxury of pulling back” when other businesses reverted to self-preservation mode.

Small Business Week is observed during the first week of May, and the awards luncheon was hosted by the Chambers in Franklin, Granville, Person and Vance counties, as well as the VGCC Small Business Center. Duke Energy sponsored the event.

Ruhe said one of the roles of NC Idea, an independent private foundation, is to provide grants to entrepreneurs. The foundation is building an “entrepreneurial ecosystem” in North Carolina. When small businesses thrive and help support a local economy, he said, that success bubbles up to the state level.

“You’re doing what I’m talking about,” Ruhe told the audience. Putting money in the hands of budding entrepreneurs is one way that NC Idea supports young businesses. The seed grant program awards $50,000 twice a year to entrepreneurs. “There’s no better money for an entrepreneur than grant money,” he said. From a pool of 176 applicants, he said between 6 and 8 will be chosen.

NC Idea also gives at least half of its grant funding to underserved communities – people of color, women and those who live in rural areas, he said. “This is where the impact is greater,” he added.

This year’s winners are:

Vance County – WIZS Radio John C. Rose accepted the award from Dr. Levy Brown, chair of the Henderson-Vance Chamber board. The family-owned business has been on the air since May 1, 1955 and Rose said the honor is one that he would like to share with first responders and other workers who had to be at their jobs despite the pandemic. “Using technology to do my job made it easy for me,” Rose said after accepting the award. “Really, the thanks goes to all the small businesses…but it is a particular honor for me to be able to stand here and say thank you.”

Granville County – Oxford Public Ledger

Barbara Critcher accepted the award for her husband Charles and his brother Ronnie, who own the local weekly newspaper.

Person County – Keller Williams Realty

Sherry Clayton, owner of the realty firm, accepted the award from Samantha Bagbey, who heads up the Person Chamber.

Franklin County – Heartwood Animal Hospital

Richie Veverka, Franklin Chamber’s executive director, announced the winner.

The Local Skinny! Home And Garden Show 5-5-21

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WIZS, Your Community Voice.  Thank you for listening! 

The Local Skinny! each Wednesday on WIZS is the Vance County Cooperative Extension Service Home and Garden Show.

 

Granville School Board Moves Closer to Closing More Schools

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The Granville County Board of Education is a step closer to determining whether to close one or more school campuses in the southern end of the county as it continues to define its school reorganization plan. During its May 3 meeting, the board voted unanimously to begin a study to close Granville Central High School and repurpose the campus.

Dr. Stan Winborne, district public information officer and assistant superintendent of operations & human resources, said in a press release that the campus, located off Sanders Road in Stem could possibly be used to house students from G.C. Hawley Middle School or South Granville High School.

The board also voted to direct district staff to review and update the possible closing of two elementary schools – Wilton and Creedmoor – those studies were paused back in the fall pending additional input from a strategic task force.

Board Chair David Richardson formed the task force, which presented findings to the board in April. “Their findings were presented to the board in April, which helped inform the Board’s current course of action,” Winborne stated.

Next steps of the school reorganizations may be determined at an upcoming board work session on May 17. “The goal of the is to finalize any possible reorganization decisions prior to July 1, 2021,” according to Winborne, but the actual closing or mergers likely would take effect for the 2022-23 school year.

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SportsTalk 5-4-21 Paul “Showtime” Gaffney, Gaffney Athletic Prep Academy

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Before he was known as “Showtime,” Paul Gaffney was a kid from a rural coal mining town in Kentucky. He was born to an unmarried teenage mom who placed him for adoption. At the age of two, his adoptive mother died and Gaffney was raised alone by his adoptive father. Gaffney would be considered as an “at-risk child” but Gaffney overcame these issues through his love of athletics and basketball. He is the Tennessee Wesleyan University Hall of Fame, where he received a B.S. in Business Management and, through his fifteen years with the Harlem Globetrotters, he is in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Now he is the founder of Gaffney Atletic Preparatory Academy (GAPA) in Tennessee which Gaffeny calls, “An innovative school dealing with sports careers including sports medicine, marketing, communications and nutrition serving grades six through twelve.” There is also a post grad program available to students who need it to help with GPA’s as well. GAPA enhances opportunities for students to move up to prestige college, according to Gaffney.

Gaffney says, “There were always people around me who inspired me to be a better athlete,” and this is what he hopes that GAPA will do for his students. Gaffney says GAPA teaches kids to find out what they love. While they may love athletics they might not be the world’s greatest athlete but might be great at cooking which could lead to a career as a sports nutritionist allowing them to be involved in athletics while not being on the field or court.

Students are from all over the world. He recruits students locally as well as Italy, Portugal and other locations.

However, GAPA isn’t his only interest. Gaffney is manager of the Tennessee Conductors of the WABA Basketball League. This women’s league is an opportunity to showcase talent so players may be able to move on to the WNBA. The team is scheduled to begin its season in July.

Gaffney credits his fifteen years with the Harlem Globetrotters in helping him open doors on these ventures. “The Globetrotters helped me develop the needed character for these endeavors,” Gaffney said.

Speaking of his Globetrotter experience Gaffney said, “We played eight days in a seven day week.” The constant travel all over the world helped the team develope a brotherhood that remains to this day. “The court was my office for 15 years and I enjoyed every minute of it,” Gaffney said. He calls the Globetrotter a tight knit family.

Gaffney also said playing with the Globetrotters was probably harder than playing basketball in the NBA due to the number of games involved and the travel which saw them go all around the world but the millions of smiles and memories those games brought to fans are special not only to those fans but for him as well. One of Gaffney’s fondest memories and one that changed his life was in 1996 when he met then South African President Nelson Mandela.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie 05-04-21 – What Works in the Lawn and Garden

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

TownTalk 5-4-21 Donald Seifert, Shriner’s Fish Fry

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Donald Seifert of the Tri-County Shrine Club about the upcoming Shriner’s Fish Fry.

Broadcast audio here.  Written story below.

For decades, the annual Shrine Club fish fry was held at the Henderson Armory. In recent years, although the locations have changed, the mission has never wavered: the local Shrine Club fundraiser supports local and national causes to help children.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 marks the 57th fish fry, said Donald C. Seifert, who spoke with John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk.

The event is take-out only, he said, and runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 210 Industry Drive, at the Sherman and Boddie facility. Tickets are available from local Shriners, but also are available at the door.

“It all comes together,” Seifert said of the preparation for the annual fish fry. “But it comes together right at the last day or two,” he said. Club members will get the cookers on site and prepare the fish. There’s a lot of work that goes into the annual event, and he said club members look forward to serving a lot of customers on May 19.

“We do have some good experience on moving folks through and getting them hot plates (of food),” he said.

In the 57 years that the fish fry has been held, there’s no telling how much fish has been battered, fried and placed on plates or in to-go boxes, he said. “It’s very gratifying. The people of Henderson and the surrounding area have been so supportive – it’s just been a good project for us and I think people have enjoyed it also,” Seifert added.

A couple of years ago, the group known as Henderson Shrine Club adopted a new name to reflect its demographic. The Tri-County Shrine Club is the same group, but Seifert said the newer name is more inclusive.

“We’ll do our level best to deliver to our customers a good fish plate – they’ll certainly get their money’s worth,” he said.

The local Shriners support causes in the community – they recently helped with a first-responders fundraiser – as well as Shriners’ hospitals across the nation and around the globe. “Road runners” are Shriners who transport children and family members to Shrine hospitals for treatment. Treatment and transportation are at no cost to the family, and fundraisers like the local fish fry support the medical care the children receive.

The fish fry is something that the community looks forward to, with many years selling completely out of fish – but the timing is uncannily close to when the event is over. Larry Parker and Ray Fields are two mainstays of the fish fry, and Seifert said that the former Highway Patrolmen really know how to move things along when they need to.

Rose asked Seifert how many fish fry events he’d attended over the years. With only a slight pause, Seifert stated “It’s been most of them – I was here and I was a Shriner, so I was at the fish fry.”

The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance for May 4

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In partnership with the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce…Jobs in Vance on WIZS…The Chamber compiles and provides the information, and it is presented here and on the radio.

Fred’s Towing and Transport – Job Openings for: Rollback driver, Second Shift Dispatcher, Service Mechanic and Service  Tech.–  Apply in person to Karrie Fogg, owner, at Fred’s Towing, 340 Industry Drive in Henderson during the week, M-F, 8 am – 5 pm.

Schewels Home – Open positions for an office manager, office support staff, and a warehouse delivery driver.  Contact store manager Charles Hearn at (252) 492-7066 or look for ad online at Indeed job search site.  Job openings at Schewels Home, located on Beckford Drive in Henderson NC.

Kitchen Tune-Up in Henderson, NC, a remodel and renovation business.  Open position for a sales representative.  Contact owner Tammy Martin by going to her website www.kitchentuneup.com and clicking on the location of Henderson and scroll down to find page for Tammy Martin. Job listing can also be found on Indeed job search site.

Walmart Distribution Center in Henderson, NC.  Open positions for experienced fork lift drivers, order fillers, and also entry level front line managers.  Applicants can apply online at www.careers.walmart.com or call NC Works at (252) 438-6129 or Email: ncworks.4200@nccommerce.com.

KARTS (Kerr Area Rural Transportation Service), located on Ross Mill Road in Henderson, NC.  Open positions for van drivers.  Must be 21 years of age, have a valid driver’s license for at least 3 years, and no felonies on your record.  They will provide necessary training.  Stop by the KARTS office and fill out an application and ask to speak to HR Manager Ashley Norwood.

Eastern Minerals in Henderson NC has job openings.  An entry level Industrial Maintenance Technician and a General Laborer to handle mowing, weed eating and helping out in other departments as needed when not doing yard work.   Applications for these positions can be picked up at the Eastern Minerals plant, located at 170 Eastern Minerals Road in Henderson, NC.

First Methodist Church, located at 114 Church Street in Henderson, NC  has a job opening for a Church Secretary.  Qualifications and Characteristics are good people skills and a positive attitude; have a knowledge of computers and other office equipment; and have a minimum of three year experience in an office environment.  Hours per week are Monday – Thursday from 8 am to 2 pm.  Contact Pastor Bobby Fletcher at email: firstumc@ncol.net.

Badcock Home Furniture in Henderson currently has an opening for a delivery driver and an opening for a sales associate.  Apply online at badcock.com/careers. The delivery position requires the prospective employee to operate and maintain a delivery vehicle, prepare merchandise for delivery, including assembly. Deliver and install merchandise to customers home. Ability to lift 75lbs. 200 lbs. with assistance of dolly or another person. Clean, valid drivers license, ability to be DOT certified. Work shift Mon-Sat, to include late evenings and weekends. Advancement Opportunities Available. High School education or GED required.

Some of these business are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.  Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email christa@hendersonvance.org to be included.  Listings are provided each Tuesday around 11:45 a.m. on “The Local Skinny!” as well as during local news at 5 p.m. Tuesdays and 8 a.m. Wednesdays as well as weekly posts here and social media.

For the audio version click play.

 

New Process to Get “Work Permit” in NC

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— press release courtesy NCDOL

NCDOL today announces the rollout of a new process for obtaining youth employment certificates that aims to streamline the process and better ensure youths are working in safe jobs. After a soft launch in April, the new process takes effect today, May 3.

The NCDOL Wage and Hour Bureau administers youth employment certificates, which are required under the N.C. Wage and Hour Act. The certificates, commonly referred to as a work permit, are designed to alert parents, teens and employers of certain prohibited jobs and hour limits for workers under the age of 18.

“We changed the process for obtaining youth employment certificates to better ensure that our state’s young employees end up working in safe and acceptable jobs,” Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson said. “We understand this will be a big change for employers, but we are ready to assist any employer, parent or youth who have questions about the new process.”

Any questions about the new process should be directed to the Wage and Hour Bureau Call Center at 1-800-625-2267. To learn more about youth rules and regulation, please visit the NCDOL website.